Emergency management

Kevin Parkyn works as one of our embedded meteorologists within Victoria's State Control Centre. Operated by Emergency Management Victoria, the State Control Centre is both a facility and an organisational arrangement for state-level coordination of emergencies – primarily fires, floods and storms.

What services do you provide?

I provide weather briefing services to a number of different audiences within the emergency services sector. These include the heads of emergency response agencies such as the State Emergency Service, the Country Fire Authority, Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

A key function of my role is to communicate the risk of significant weather occurring or of weather influencing emergency agency operations.

What hours do you work?

Either myself, or one of my colleagues, is at the State Control Centre year-round. From November to April, when Victoria sees the most severe weather, I work rostered 12-hour shifts. I start at 7 am – often earlier on significant weather days – to prepare for the first briefing to the State Control Team at 7:30 am.

How do you convey information to those who need it?

I give face-to-face briefings to the State Control Team, as well as online presentations for anyone in the emergency management community, about what’s happening now and what’s coming up on the weather front.

I share and explain weather modelling information and generally act as a resource for decision-makers within the sector. As well as the severe weather that brings fire, flood and damaging winds, this can be in relation to year-round fire-management activities. For example, phone discussions about 'weather windows' for planned burns and any risks involved.

With representatives from emergency management agencies, I'm sometimes required to provide the media with an update on the weather leading up to, during or after a significant event.

How does a typical day start?

'Hit the ground running' is a good way to describe it.

I quickly ascertain the current weather situation and what has occurred overnight, working closely with Bureau colleagues. I'll then review the early morning issue of forecasts and warnings, picking up on any notable updates or changes – like any observations that might trigger us to believe severe weather has become more likely.

Or, if a heavy rain event is unfolding, I’ll be watching the satellite and radar and comparing them with our modelling to make sure we have the richest understanding possible of the likely course of that event.

Does your role change on days when major fire emergencies develop?

Yes, it shifts from communicating weather with a focus on preparation for what could happen, to analysing the current situation and weather influences on fire behaviour.

I’ll also be working closely with the fire behaviour analyst – who looks at landscape characteristics and information on fuel conditions, as well as forecasts/actual weather to predict how the fire is likely to develop.

At the same time I’m liaising with the Bureau’s operational meteorologists (who produce Victoria’s forecasts and warnings) – especially during significant fire events when critical details like timing of wind changes are communicated. The meteorologists factor this first-hand intelligence on the status of fires and the priority incidents being managed by the emergency services into their activities.

What’s the most rewarding part about working at the State Control Centre?

For me it’s communicating weather information that influences decision-making and prepares the emergency services leading up to significant weather days. Ultimately this makes the community safer and more resilient.